LONDON, Ont. – Western University's 10th Annual Rowing Gala Dinner on Saturday, March 1, marked the naming of three additions to the Western Rowing Wall of Excellence as well as the establishment of the Heather Cartwright Coaching Excellence Fund. This year's Wall of Excellence inductees were Marnie McBean, Peter King, and Rick Fearn.
McBean rowed at Western and was awarded the F.W.P. Jones trophy for the female athlete who has made the greatest contribution to intercollegiate athletics within the university. A Mustangs oarswoman, leader, coach and role model for women in sport, she is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and has been inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
King was a Mustangs oarsman and a builder, administrator and athlete who was the driving force behind Western's 1968 Olympic Trials crew and a leader towards the acquisition of the team's first racing shells. During his long involvement in sport, King initiated several projects and programs that have passed the test of time, continuing to this day.
Fearn was a Mustangs oarsman and is remembered as a leader, builder and athlete. He directed the transformation of Western Rowing, laying the groundwork for the success and reputation that it maintains to this day as he made athletes believe that world class rowing could be achieved in London.
Along with celebrating the careers of former Mustangs, the night featured an important glimpse into the future with the announcement of the Heather Cartwright Coaching Excellence Fund.
The Fund, created through a $100,000 gift from Heather Cartwright, in combination with other generous contributions, will enable Western to support a highly qualified and dedicated assistant rowing coach for each of the next five years to further build the rowing team.
"A winning team requires the collaborative efforts of many people including experienced coaches, committed students and supportive fans," says Thérèse Quigley, Director of Sports and Recreational Services at Western. "We are very fortunate to have the support of alumni, such as Heather, who contribute to the success of our student-athletes."
A former rowing team member and coach at Western, Cartwright went on to successfully coach women's rowing teams at Harvard University, Princeton University and Boston University as well as provincial and national teams in Canada. She is a former chair of the Women in Rowing Committee for Rowing Canada.
While at Western, Cartwright coached the lightweight women's rowing program and led the team to gold medals at the Ontario University Championships and the Dad Vail Regatta.
"I am grateful for the wonderful coaching and mentorship I received when I was a student at Western," says Cartwright. "I want to make sure more student-athletes have the same leadership I benefited from.
"I believe an excellent coach can make a big difference not only in an athlete's performance, but in their life as well. I am happy to support a great program and a terrific rowing team with this gift."
